REVIEW: Almost, Maine

A Review

Of Ice & Men

By R. J. Donovan

"Almost, Maine," now in its area premiere at SpeakEasy Stage, is a whimsical look at the folks who live in the outer most regions of The Pine State.

Playwright (and Presque Isle native) John Cariani has fashioned a series of vignettes meant to share brief glimpses of life and love, all taking place in the same town, on the same Friday night, in the middle of winter.

Director Paul Daigneault's cast of four (Barlow Adamson, Elaine Theodore, Kevin Kalinsky and Maureen Keiller) plays different characters in every scene, with snow falling gently on the stage in the transitions.

We see two lovers finding their way, two former lovers meeting by chance, two would-be lovers who aren't yet on the same page, two friends who fall (literally) in love, and so on. The basis for all the stories is love,and unless it was my imagination, the icy image on the center of the stage floor is vaguely suggestive of a heart.

While the evening has several laughs and a couple of nice performances, it never quite achieves what it's aiming for. Cariani has said that he wrote the piece because every new play on the boards in New York seemed to deal with urban relationships in cosmopolitan settings. He wanted to show what life was like for the small town people nobody else wrote about. As he is from Presque Isle, Maine, he felt compelled to share stories of life as he knew it. But if he's going for an endearing Down East version of Lake Wobegon, he hasn't quite gotten there yet.

The folks in "Almost, Maine" are almost interchangeable as presented by Cariani. My personal feeling is that every human being you pass on the street has at least one really compelling story in them. And I don't believe the characters in "Almost, Maine" exist outside that theory. Cariani just hasn't captured them with the depth and shading he intends. They're pencil sketches vs. fully developed paintings.

That said, there is a certain charm to "Almost, Maine," and a couple of good laughs to be had. Barlow Adamson (above with Elaine Theodore) has a nice handle on two of the quirky characters he plays, in particular the man who can't feel pain; and Maureen Keiller makes the woman-who's-never-been-kissed stand out.

But in the end, "Almost, Maine" is not quite.

"Almost, Maine " is at The Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston, through March 10. For information, call 617-933-8600 or visit www.BostonTheatreScene.com.

Production Photos: Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo

-- OnStage Boston

02/22/07

			A Review Of Ice & Men By R. J. Donovan "Almost, Maine," now in its area premiere at SpeakEasy Stage, is a whimsical look at the folks who live in the outer most regions of The Pine State. Playwright (and Presque Isle native) John Cariani has fashioned a series of vignettes meant to share brief glimpses of life and love, all taking place in the same town, on the same Friday night, in the middle of winter. Director Paul Daigneault's cast of four (Barlow Adamson, Elaine Theodore, Kevin Kalinsky and Maureen Keiller) plays different characters in every scene, with snow falling gently on the stage in the transitions. We see two lovers finding their way, two former lovers meeting by chance, two would-be lovers who aren't yet on the same page, two friends who fall (literally) in love, and so on. The basis for all the stories is love,and unless it was my imagination, the icy image on the center of the stage floor is vaguely suggestive of a heart. While the evening has several laughs and a couple of nice performances, it never quite achieves what it's aiming for. Cariani has said that he wrote the piece because every new play on the boards in New York seemed to deal with urban relationships in cosmopolitan settings. He wanted to show what life was like for the small town people nobody else wrote about. As he is from Presque Isle, Maine, he felt compelled to share stories of life as he knew it. But if he's going for an endearing Down East version of Lake Wobegon, he hasn't quite gotten there yet. The folks in "Almost, Maine" are almost interchangeable as presented by Cariani. My personal feeling is that every human being you pass on the street has at least one really compelling story in them. And I don't believe the characters in "Almost, Maine" exist outside that theory. Cariani just hasn't captured them with the depth and shading he intends. They're pencil sketches vs. fully developed paintings. That said, there is a certain charm to "Almost, Maine," and a couple of good laughs to be had. Barlow Adamson (above with Elaine Theodore) has a nice handle on two of the quirky characters he plays, in particular the man who can't feel pain; and Maureen Keiller makes the woman-who's-never-been-kissed stand out. But in the end, "Almost, Maine" is not quite. "Almost, Maine " is at The Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston, through March 10. For information, call 617-933-8600 or visit www.BostonTheatreScene.com. Production Photos: Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo -- OnStage Boston 02/22/07

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